Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

'Gospel of Judas' Called An Authentic Fabrication
The New York Sun ^ | April 7, 2006 | BRUCE CHILTON

Posted on 04/07/2006 6:38:55 AM PDT by presidio9

The National Geographic Society released the manuscript of what is called "The Gospel of Judas" yesterday. By National Geographic's own account, a team first assembled by the Maecenas Foundation has been working on the text since 2001. As a result of press releases tied to publication of the text, widespread coverage has repeated the claim that this is an authentic and unique representation of the historical relationship between Jesus and Judas, and that Jesus encouraged Judas to betray him.

Despite the careful work by scholars that has gone into a document of obvious interest, I have to express disappointment when I see National Geographic stoop so low into hyperbole as to distort the significance of this discovery.

In its release, National Geographic repeatedly states that it has "authenticated" the document. Several press outlets have simply repeated those claims. But "authentic" turns out to be a slippery term as used by the National Geographic Society. No scholar associated with the find argues this is a first century document, or that it derives from Judas. The release says the document was "copied down in Coptic probably around A.D. 300," although later that is changed to "let's say around the year 400." This amounts to saying that "The Gospel of Judas" is an authentic fabrication produced by a group of Gnostics in Egypt. Gnostics believed that their direct knowledge of heaven permitted them to understand what no one else knew, or could know by historical knowledge. For ancient Gnostics to believe in their own powers of divination is charming; for their flights of imagination to be passed off as historical knowledge in our time is dishonest or self-deceived.

During the second century, a theologian of the Catholic Church named Irenaeus referred to a writing named "The Gospel of Judas." Was that

(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: authenticfabrication; crapola; elainepagels; epigraphyandlanguage; fabrication; fakebutaccurate; fakewhenitwaswritten; gnostic; gnosticgospels; gnosticism; godsgravesglyphs; gospelofjudas; ignorantmedia; irreligiousmedia; jeeznotthisagain; judas; judasiscariot; justsomegnosticcrap; letshavejerusalem; msmdontknowhistory; msmdontknowreligion; muchadoaboutnothing; wtfk
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 141-152 next last
To: FormerLib

Gnosticism sounds similar to Christian Science belief.

Mrs VS


21 posted on 04/07/2006 7:09:36 AM PDT by VeritatisSplendor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Dog Gone
I don't think any of the New Testament is derived from first century documents or is an original.

Well, according to anyone who's ever done intensive work on the NT - be they Christian, Jewish, agnostic or what have you - all the NT documents except two absolutely date from the 1st century, and there is a good chance that the remaining two do date from the 1st century as well.

In addition to this unanimous scholarly opinion, there is the fact that early 2nd century writers (100-125 AD) reference the NT documents as if they were already well-known and established documents. Additionally there are substantial manuscripts of the NT existing from about the year 200 AD and fragments from before 125 AD, including a possible fragment from before 68 AD.

So the facts contradict you.

22 posted on 04/07/2006 7:09:38 AM PDT by wideawake
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: presidio9

I was listening to a dj talk about this story this morning. The DJ said that the Judas Gospel dispels the story that Judas betrayed Christ of his own will, i.e. Christ asked Judas to drop the dime on him.

IIRC, Judas committed suicide the morning after he betrayed Christ. My question is this: When did Judas have time to write his Gospel if said Gospel includes events that took place only hours before his death?


23 posted on 04/07/2006 7:10:00 AM PDT by randog (What the...?!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: presidio9

Why is even FNC reporting the story as based on a true original rather than a fake copy.

The media should be screaming fromthe top.


24 posted on 04/07/2006 7:10:54 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: presidio9

I tend to think this is just an ancient version of the "Da Vinci Code"...or near equivalent.

Fiction has always been popular. ;)

Regards, Ivan


25 posted on 04/07/2006 7:12:03 AM PDT by MadIvan (Ya hya chouhada! Dune fans, visit - http://www.thesietch.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Michael_Michaelangelo; metmom; RunningWolf
Finally a Gospel the evos will believe.!!!!
26 posted on 04/07/2006 7:12:27 AM PDT by WKB (Science Fiction= Any science that omits God.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #27 Removed by Moderator

To: BenLurkin

Genuine ancient fiction. Written by Danus Brownus.


28 posted on 04/07/2006 7:13:48 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilisation is aborting, buggering, and contracepting itself out of existence.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
LOL.

MY first thoughts also. Bet that was common for many of us here on this site.

29 posted on 04/07/2006 7:14:31 AM PDT by TruthWillWin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: All

Yes, yes, we have the new christian doctrine being heaved upon us....

Jesus did not rise from the dead, he was only sleepy, and after some herbs and a nice nap he awoke to proclaim "Look dude's I'm back from the dead!!"

Jesus did not walk on water. It was cold, he walked on ice.

Jesus was in cahoots with Judas to have him betray him. The kicker being he must have also told him to kil himself-- just to make the cover up more believeable.

Pattern here?
Nah.


30 posted on 04/07/2006 7:15:21 AM PDT by CygnusXI (Where's that dang Meteor already?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Dog Gone

You would be in the extreme minority on your view. Even most secular scholars who do not believe the NT holds any divine significance agree that most all the books of the NT were written in the 1st century.


31 posted on 04/07/2006 7:15:55 AM PDT by bethelgrad (for God, country, the Marine Corps, and now the Navy Chaplain Corps OOH RAH!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: presidio9

So what's the date of the earliest surviving manuscript of the canonical Gospels?


32 posted on 04/07/2006 7:16:07 AM PDT by Right Wing Professor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

It's probably the Times font that gave it away.


33 posted on 04/07/2006 7:17:21 AM PDT by InvisibleChurch (But even if he does not...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: presidio9
It sounds like the GoJ is an authentic historical artifact, just as a 2000 year-old mosaic depicting the labors of Hercules would be an authentic historical artifact. It's a shame that National Geographic damages the significance of the finding by trying to make it into something that it isn't.
34 posted on 04/07/2006 7:17:23 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows (When Al Franken had his bris, they threw away the baby and saved the foreskin.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wideawake
Well, according to anyone who's ever done intensive work on the NT - be they Christian, Jewish, agnostic or what have you - all the NT documents except two absolutely date from the 1st century, and there is a good chance that the remaining two do date from the 1st century as well.

That's a gross exaggeration.

35 posted on 04/07/2006 7:17:53 AM PDT by Right Wing Professor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: formercalifornian
>Fake but fake
"After being discovered in Egypt in the 1970s, National Geographic's manuscript was badly damaged, perhaps as a result of repeated attempts by earlier owners to sell it (sometimes at a high price, which it never fetched). As late as last February, National Geographic reports, "a missing half-page of the gospel resurfaced in New York City." This does not inspire confidence in the chain of custody or the document itself..."



36 posted on 04/07/2006 7:18:37 AM PDT by theFIRMbss
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: wideawake

There are original fragments of Paul's writings?


37 posted on 04/07/2006 7:18:49 AM PDT by Dog Gone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: presidio9
Judas 1:1

And it came to pass that afterwards I didst receiveth a tidy sum of 30 pieces of silver for doing my Lord's bidding. But, yea I was consumeth by guilt for not having asketh more to aideth in the production of my original screenplay: Jesus Christ Superstar and thus find myself about to steppeth off a chair with a rope around my nec

38 posted on 04/07/2006 7:19:17 AM PDT by N. Theknow (Kennedys - Can't drive, can't fly, can't ski, can't skipper a boat - But they know what's best.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: VeritatisSplendor

Really good heresies never go away, they just sort of recycle as part of someone's latest revelation.


39 posted on 04/07/2006 7:19:39 AM PDT by FormerLib ("...the past ten years in Kosovo will be replayed here in what some call Aztlan.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: N. Theknow

ROFL!


40 posted on 04/07/2006 7:20:36 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows (When Al Franken had his bris, they threw away the baby and saved the foreskin.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 141-152 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson